TINKUNE KANDA
This is Kathmandu around BS 2026 (1969 AD), approximately 55
years ago. Here is an image of Bagmati
River from back then, the surrounding fields, the airport, and Tinkune. Now, here’s the exact satellite image of the
same location today. In these two
images, you can clearly see the dramatic differences over time.
The Bagmati River has shrunk. Houses have encroached into the river
area, and large buildings and structures
have replaced the fields. The airport's
runway has been expanded. However,
Tinkune has remained unchanged, left idle.
Similarly, here’s a clearer image of the Tinkune area from BS 2029 (1972
AD), about 52 years ago, along with its satellite image today.
The transformation is apparent. Houses in the area have been demolished to make way for the airport's runway. Yet, Tinkune remains the same. Why is Tinkune such a vast, empty space despite the fact that structures have sprouted everywhere in Kathmandu? In recent times, you’ve probably heard debates about Tinkune’s land on social media, involving Mayor Balen Shah and K.P. Oli.
So, what’s going on in Tinkune? Who owns this land? What is the dispute here? To understand and explain all of this, we have some important documents.
The Araniko Highway was being constructed to facilitate trade between Nepal and China.
King Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev was the ruler. Here’s a clip from the inauguration of the
Araniko Highway. This highway connected
Kathmandu to Bhaktapur, Dhulikhel, Dolalghat, Barabise, and finally to the
Tatopani border crossing. It passed
through Tinkune at Koteshwar. Around the
same time, discussions about the Kathmandu Ring Road had also begun.
There was already an
agreement with the Chinese government to construct it. Although the Ring Road construction only
started in BS 2034 (1977 AD), its
proposed map was ready by BS 2031 (1974 AD).
By then, King Mahendra had passed away, and King Birendra had ascended
to the throne. The proposed map showed
the Ring Road passing through Tinkune near Koteshwar.
With the Araniko Highway, the airport entrance, and the
upcoming Ring Road all passing through Tinkune,
the location became increasingly valuable. It became a focal point for anyone arriving
in Kathmandu by plane, road, or the Ring Road.
This caught the attention of the then Panchayat government. The government decided to build a Panchayat
Memorial Park at Tinkune.
However, the land wasn’t owned by the government. It belonged to 11 farmers cultivating fields
in the Koteshwar area at that time. But
back then, it didn’t matter whose name was on the land. Under the autocratic Panchayat regime, the
government could do whatever it wanted, even forcibly acquiring land.
But the government
didn’t take that route. Instead, it
reached an agreement with the farmers,
taking or, let’s say, "purchasing" the land. To put it simply, the land was acquired in
exchange for compensation. The
government promised compensation to the farmers and even conducted a land
valuation.
However, the payment
wasn’t made immediately, and this delay turned out to be the biggest
mistake. Over time, land prices usually
go up. If you purchase land today and don’t pay for it immediately, its value may be entirely different in six
months. The land was acquired around BS
2032 (1975 AD), and now it’s nearly BS 2082 (2025 AD).
So, what happened during this period? In the beginning, the government of His
Majesty the King decided to purchase the land in Koteshwar, Tinkune, for the
Panchayat Memorial Park. Around BS 2032 (1975 AD), under the Land Acquisition
Act, 2028 BS, the government published a
notice in the Nepal Gazette to acquire 35-1-2-0 (35 ropanis, 1 aana, 2 paisa, 0
daam) of land from Ward No. 3 and Ward
No. 6 of Koteshwar Village Panchayat.
At that time, the
government unilaterally decided to pay compensation at a rate of NPR 4,000 per
ropani. This rate was determined based
on the transaction records registered at the Land Revenue Office. However, in reality, land was being sold at
much higher prices than what was recorded in the office.
In Nepal, it is
common practice to understate the transaction price of land in official documents
to reduce tax liability. Consequently,
the government set the compensation rate based on these undervalued
records. Thus, the government offered
compensation at a rate of NPR 4,000 per aana (equivalent to NPR 64,000 per
ropani).
However, the
landowners were dissatisfied and refused to accept the money. At that time, during the peak of the
autocratic Panchayat regime, the landowners couldn’t strongly protest. They simply chose not to accept the
compensation and stayed silent. Later,
after the first people’s movement in BS 2046 (1990 AD), the landowners became
more active.
They repeatedly submitted applications to the relevant
authorities and even went to court against the government. The court ordered a revaluation of the land
and directed the government to
compensate the landowners based on the updated rates. Following the court’s order, the Chief
District Officer (CDO) of Kathmandu
organized meetings with the landowners on BS 2059, Ashar 28 and 30 (July
2002) to determine the updated
compensation.
The new valuation for the land was set at NPR 51,20,000 per
ropani, which was just NPR 4000 before.
Both the government and the landowners agreed to this amount. This was in BS 2059 (2002 AD). If the government had paid the compensation
promptly, the dispute could have been resolved then and there. However, the problem arose again because the
government delayed the payment.
Although the
agreement was made in 2059 BS, the
government allocated NPR 15 crores for compensation only five years later, in
BS 2064 (2007 AD). The government handed
over the money to the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC), assigning them the responsibility of
distributing the compensation. KMC
invited the landowners of Tinkune to come forward and claim their compensation.
Between BS 2064 and BS 2066 (2007–2009 AD), some landowners
accepted their compensation. They
collectively received NPR 10,80,19,461.37 .
Those who didn’t accept the compensation argued that by then, land
prices had risen further, and a revaluation was necessary. Due to the renewed dispute, the remaining
compensation amount of approximately NPR 4.
2 crores was returned
to the central government by KMC on BS 2070, Shrawan 24 (August 2013). This dispute continues to this day. Mayor Balendra Shah wrote in a letter that 21
out of the total 34 ropanis of land have already received compensation.
However, the compensation for approximately 13 ropanis is still pending, and a revaluation of the land price is yet to
be done.
Now, the Kathmandu Metropolitan City is preparing plans to
construct an International Park in this area.
For this purpose, the central government needs to resolve this issue as
soon as possible. Mayor Balendra Shah
has been consistently addressing this issue,
either through his remarks on social media or through his official
statements, urging the government to find a solution.
Similarly, Sobita Gautam, the Member of Parliament elected
from this area, has frequently raised this matter in Parliament. Despite being discussed in Parliament and
being a “talk of the town” for a long time,
the government has taken no significant steps to resolve it. Generations of landowners in this area have
been asking the same question to the government.
Fathers have asked, and now their sons, carrying walking
sticks, are still asking: “When will you
give us our money?” The landowners have
only one demand: Either pay us the
money, or allow us to use the land and make it functional. But do you know what the Prime Minister
does? He makes ridiculous statements.
Such remarks merely close the door to conversation. Frankly,
the government seems indifferent to the plight of the people. But they could at least pretend to
care. Even that, Oli doesn’t bother to
do. This issue could easily be resolved
through proper table talks, but everyone is turning it into a political matter.
